BJP Corporator Demands Reserved Local Train Coaches for Gen Z Students in Mumbai
BJP corporator Tejasvee Ghosalkar has urged Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to reserve three coaches in Mumbai local trains exclusively for college students from the Gen Z and Gen Alpha generations. Ghosalkar, who represents Ward No. 2 in the Mumbai civic body, submitted a letter proposing that the reserved student coaches run between 5 am and 11 am to alleviate morning rush-hour travel for young commuters across the city.
The proposed reservation is sought across both Western Railway and Central Railway services, with specific emphasis on major suburban routes such as Churchgate to Dahanu and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to Dombivli and Asangaon. Ghosalkar argued that establishing dedicated compartments would bring significant relief to students commuting to various colleges and educational institutions throughout Mumbai.
Under the current setup, Mumbai local trains allocate two coaches reserved for women, along with a luggage compartment and a first-class coach. During peak morning hours, intense overcrowding in the remaining coaches often erases any practical difference between first-class and second-class compartments in terms of passenger density.
However, setting aside three additional coaches solely for student use could create capacity challenges for other daily commuters. Because the suburban rail network already handles massive crowds during peak travel times, reserving three compartments for students could potentially increase congestion across the remaining general coaches.
The initiative comes amid ongoing efforts by the BJP to connect with younger voters and address issues impacting Gen Z and Gen Alpha populations. Ghosalkar joined the BJP from Shiv Sena (UBT) prior to the civic elections, where she contested Ward No. 2 and won with a significant margin. The proposal now awaits consideration by the Union Railway Ministry to evaluate whether dedicating coaches for students is operationally feasible on the Mumbai suburban rail network.
